The Alternate Root - Discover Roots & Americana Music
  • Home
  • Top Ten
  • It's All Music Radio
  • Latest Videos
  • All Reviews
  • Breaking Thru
  • Who's Playing Near Me?
  • Seen & Heard
    • Advertise With Us
    • Removal of Content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Top 50 Albums 2022
  • Top Ten
The Category Navigation Widget will appear here on the live site.

The Alternate Root

Listen To Our Top 10

All Reviews archive

Brought to You From Our Alt Root Writers

The Breadcrumbs Widget will appear here on the live site.

4/22/2023

0 Comments

 

Fruit Bats (from the album A River Running to Your Heart

Picture
Fruit Bats (from the album A River Running to Your Heart available on Merge Records) (by Lee Zimmerman)

It’s hard to believe that after 25 years of making exceptional albums, and mining a style that finds a divide between accessible Power Pop with intelligent Indie Rock, Fruit Bats haven’t attracted the larger following they so decidedly deserve. Of course, that statement might also apply to any outfit that operates below the radar and evades popular notice, but in the Fruit Bats’ case it’s especially perplexing. Some might say they’re too artsy (read ‘intelligent’) for their own good. Indeed, while most of their music creates instant attachment, certain songs also convey words of wisdom.
‘Well, we all want a home — metaphorical or real’ Eric Johnson, Fruit Bats’ steady — and oftentimes, sole — musical constant sings on “Waking Up In Los Angeles”, one of eleven refreshingly resilient tracks on the band’s new album. That’s hardly revelatory, but it does speak to a certain truth.
A Classic Rock enthusiast — Johnson lists the Beatles, The Velvet Underground, Big Star, Uncle Tupelo, Joni Mitchell, the Grateful Dead, and Prince among his most indelible influences — he delivers a style that are clearly in sync with sounds of the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, and yet, it never comes across as redundant. In fact, it’s the opposite. The shimmering sounds of “Dim North Star” and “The Deep Well” hint at grander ambitions through a series of truly stunning soundscapes. More to the point, the upbeat exhortation of songs such as “See the World by Night”, “Tacoma”, and “Jesus Tap Dancing Christ (It’s Good To Be Home)” — the latter of which shares Johnson’s unequivocal enthusiasm (‘I never knew it could feel this nice’) — testify to the fact that Fruit Bats take stock in sheer celebration. The band’s membership may have shifted over the years, but that commitment to cadence and creativity has never wavered.
If this was an outfit of greater notoriety, A River Running to Your Heart would be hailed as a major masterpiece. In any regard, it certainly qualifies for that distinction and even more. Suffice it to say, this river’s found its mark.
(by Lee Zimmerman)
 
Listen and buy the music of Fruit Bats from AMAZON
 
For more information, please visit the Fruit Bats website
 
 
 



The Blog Tags widget will appear here on the published site.
Tags:
0 Comments
The Recommended Posts widget will appear here on the published site.

You Might Also Like

First Last



Leave a Reply.

Picture

    subscribe to our newsletter

Submit

To submit music, please mail a copy of your CD to the following address:
Danny McCloskey
The Alternate Root
1717 East Vista Chino
Ste A7 PMB 302
Palm Springs, CA 92262

Contact Us

    we do not share email addresses

Submit

©2021 The Alternate Root All Rights Reserved
website by Jim Cortez jctez12@gmail.com
  • Home
  • Top Ten
  • It's All Music Radio
  • Latest Videos
  • All Reviews
  • Breaking Thru
  • Who's Playing Near Me?
  • Seen & Heard
    • Advertise With Us
    • Removal of Content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Top 50 Albums 2022
  • Top Ten